Republic TV’s Rahul Gandhi fixation

After four months in operation, it is pretty obvious to everyone that Republic TV’s unwritten mandate is to shape public opinion in favour of the government. With no tough questions asked to those in power, we have been blessed with a national TV channel that believes in taking the opposition to task. In particular, the channel seems to be singularly focused on holding Rahul Gandhi to account for not only his lapses but those of the government as well. Republic TV can’t stop talking about Rahul Gandhi. From hashtags to polls, from anchors to panelists, the channel’s obsession with the Congress Vice President is all pervasive. Republic has pursued him relentlessly week after week, mocking his statements and trying its utmost to build outrage against him.

This is not a Twitter troll but a national TV channel. Republic has a serious Rahul Gandhi problem. One that demolishes all claims that the channel makes about its “independence”.

Building a narrative

The Republic stories continuously build and reinforce its carefully crafted narrative around Rahul Gandhi. He is a constant focus of attention. Let us look at some of the stories:

The channel never misses a chance to mock Rahul Gandhi. The messaging focuses on pointing out the “repeat” aspect.

Other politicians including Prime Minister Narendra Modi may make inadvertent errors but guess who is the focus of primetime debates? “Rahul Goofs up again, refers to Marshal IAF as Air Marshal,” ran the Republic story on Rahul Gandhi’s tweet on Marshal of IAF Arjan Singh’s demise where he referred to him by the wrong rank. Rahul Gandhi is not on Twitter. As the name indicates, the account @OfficeOfRG is managed by his office. But this fact didn’t come in the way of ridiculing Gandhi about doing it “again”. Nor did it matter to the channel that one of its own tweets had the same error. The same mistake on the rank was also made by several other leaders from the BJP and the NDA including Dharmendra Pradhan, RS Prasad, Kirron Kher, Vasundhara Raje and Sukhbir Singh Badal to name a few. The target for ridicule nevertheless was Rahul Gandhi.

When Gandhi said the number of seats in the Lower House was 546, not 545, it was news for Republic.

Such is the fixation with Gandhi that the channel has even compiled, “7 instances that will make you feel smarter than Rahul Gandhi”.

Moving on from mocking the gaffes, like all so-called nationalists, the channel also constantly questions the nationalism of others. Republic wanted to know, “Is it party first, India next for Rahul?”

To ride the nationalism wave of Modi supporters, the issue of a controversial statement by Sandeep Dikshit was projected by the channel as #CongressVsArmy. They even declared that “Unless Rahul Gandhi is himself against the Indian Army, does he have any excuse not to sack Dikshit?”

It did not stop at nationalism. When Rahul Gandhi’s political adviser quit and made some statements, the channel was quick to brand it as #CongAntiHinduDebate

Republic takes the stance that one would expect a governing party mouthpiece to take. Be it Gauri Lankesh’s murder or a meeting with a Chinese envoy, everything that Rahul Gandhi does is under scrutiny by Republic and is projected as either politicising or a photo-op.

The channel has compiled past instances where they believed Rahul Gandhi played photo-op politics. Such accusations are never levelled against the Prime Minister or any other leader from the party in power even though there may be many occasions that could be questioned as a photo-op.

A target for the anchor and panelists

Rahul Gandhi is a constant target for the carefully selected like-minded Republic panelists as well. The charge against the Congress Vice President is led by Arnab Goswami himself. Arnab asks if, “A dynast leader of an undemocratic party that wants to run a democratic republic? Is Rahul Gandhi treading thin ice?”

Let alone Prime Minister Modi, the channel has never questioned the NDA government over any policy decision or incident. Yet when it comes to Rahul Gandhi, Republic never misses the opportunity to hold him to account for all past and present transgresses of the party. Republic wanted to know, “If Rahul owns up to IITs, IIMs and AIIMS, shouldn’t he also own up to Bofors, 2G and CWG scams?” and at the time when everyone questioned PM Modi’s silence on a various issues, the channel wanted to know whether Rahul Gandhi’s silence meant endorsement of Manish Tewari’s tweet.

With the channel itself leading the charge against Gandhi, the panelists can’t be far behind. In Republic, they have found a perfect platform to mock the opposition leader.

#EconomyWar What kind of employment can you expect Rahul Gandhi to provide? He’s heading for long-term joblessness: GVL Narasimha Rao, BJP

#RahulNRIComment | Rahul Gandhi is also an NRI — Non Responsible Indian: Dr Sambit Patra, BJP

#RahulShocksIndia | Common feeling among students today is that Rahul Gandhi represents Pak’s ambitions more than India’s. Vivek Agnihotri

“Let’s call Rahul Gandhi, riot Gandhi,” says BJP’s Dr. Sambit Patra #CongCaughtRedHanded

Republic Hashtags

Rahul Gandhi must be the most featured politician in the hashtags promoted by Republic TV. When Rahul Gandhi’s political adviser quit, it was #RahulDumped, when he visited the riot victims, it is #RahulRiotPhotoOp, when he went on holiday, the “nation” wanted to know about #RahulItalianHoliday. Again the purpose and tone of the hashtags was to deride.

Believe it or not, Rahul Gandhi’s holiday was Breaking News on Republic.  “Rahul Gandhi — from Mandsaur to Milan in a matter of few days. Join Arnab on The Debate with #RahulItalianHoliday” was a topic for much discussion on the channel.

Here is a list of hashtags dedicated to Rahul Gandhi. In contrast, there are almost no hashtags sponsored by Republic that focus on questioning or criticising any BJP leaders.

#RahulDumped

#RahulShocksIndia 

#RahulNRIComment 

#RahulBacksDynasty

#AmericanRaGa

#RahulManhandlesCop

#RahulChinaMeet

#RahulItalianHoliday

With eight hashtags in four months and an equal number targeting the Congress week after week, Republic ensures that it keeps up the pressure on Rahul Gandhi and the Congress. That is when it is not talking others, the Left and the liberals.

The hashtags for Rahul Gandhi are phrased to mock him, whereas the rare hashtag on a lapse by the government, is worded neutrally without holding them accountable. Even as the channel holds the opposition to account, it constantly deflects attention from the failures of the government.

Republic Polls

Like the hashtags, the Republic polls also focus on the Congress leader. Instead of questioning the government and holding it accountable for policies and governance failures, the channel runs polls on an opposition leader. It is not unemployment, fuel prices or farmer suicides but Rahul Gandhi that seems to be the most important topic for the channel.

Has Rahul belittled India?

Is Rahul’s silence = abuse endorsement?

Should Rahul apologise for top Congress leader’s abuse?

Was it right for Rahul Gandhi to run down the country on American soil by declaring that “India has lost its vision”?

BJP Fires 11 questions at Rahul Gandhi, Should Rahul respond?

Did Rahul Gandhi make it more about himself than the farmers? 

Poll after poll draws attention to Rahul Gandhi.

Such is the obsession with the opposition that when the channel spoke about unemployment, it wanted to deflect attention to UPA policies. “Aren’t UPA policies partly to blame for unemployment we see today.”

Republic has a mandate and it is carrying it out with unmatched passion. Now that everyone has figured it out, it is amusing to watch it do it. So sit back as the anchors and panelists scream their way taking the opposition to task. Enjoy the convoluted logic and have a good laugh at this apology of a national TV channel. The role of the Fourth Estate as a pillar of democracy, holding those in power to account and other such lofty ideals about media have no place in the Republic world.